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A Client
Petrographic Report OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrolab Limited
www.petrolab.co.uk
tel +44 (0)1209 219541 email petrolab@petrolab.co.uk
Petrographic Report
A Client
Contents
Sample details............................................................................................1
Methods of investigation.............................................................................1
Petrographic description.............................................................................2
Summary.....................................................................................................3
Images........................................................................................................3
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
Report identification
Client
A Client
Report title
Moorland Slates
Analysis required
xxxxxx
Client contact
A Contact
Report ID (issue
date)
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Issue note
Initial issue
Prepared by
Checked by
Limitations
This report relates only to those samples submitted and specimens examined and to any materials properly
represented by those samples and specimens. This report is issued to the Client named above for the
benefit of the Client for the purposes for which it was prepared. It does not confer or purport to confer on
any third party any benefit or right pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
Sample details
Two samples of unused/ unweathered roofing slate (Moorland standard & Moorland reject),
of dimensions 500 mm x 250 mm x 6mm (nominal thickness), were provided. Both samples
are reported to be from the same source; one is reported to be a standard slate and the
other is reported to be a reject due to high pyrite content.
Table 1 Samples received
Sample ref.
Type
Mass
Condition
Moorland standard
roofing
2194
unused
Moorland reject
roofing
2056
unused
The investigation requested was a detailed petrographic description of both samples and
determination of sulphide content of the Moorland reject slate.
Methods of investigation
Preliminary investigation
Both samples were examined, as received, and after careful washing to remove
loose debris, using a Nikon SMZ-U stereomicroscope. The microscope has a
continuous zoom range of 7.5x to 75x and it is equipped with a 150W continuous
ring, fibre optic illuminator. It is useful for the preliminary examination of samples and
it is possible to discriminate and sometimes identify features as small as 100 m in
size. The microscope has a trinocular head and can be used for low power
photomicrography.
Sample preparation
The abundance of sulphide minerals in the reject slate was calculated from chemical
assay of the total and acid soluble sulphur in the slate.
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
Petrographic description
Hand specimens
Both slates are unweathered/ unused slates. The slate is a uniform medium-greenish grey
colour. They show evidence of lithological banding intersecting the cleavage surfaces,
individual bands are approximately 1 mm thick. Isolated, unweathered pyrite crystals (FeS 2)
are disseminated through both the slates and are visible with the stereomicroscope. They
are extremely fine, typically < 100 m.
The reject slate also contains discontinuous bands (< 10 cm) of coarse pyrite, these bands
follow relict bedding planes in the slate. Individual pyrite crystals are approximately 300
m.
Chemical analyses of the total sulphide and acid soluble sulphur content of the reject slate
gives an equivalent pyrite content of 0.15wt% pyrite.
In both samples sulphide content is composed almost entirely of pyrite with only traces of
chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. There is no evidence of the more reactive iron sulphide
marcasite.
Petrography
Phase, abbreviation
Sericite
The slate is made up principally from sericite mica and pale green chlorite with a very
strong preferred orientation that defines the cleavage. The slate also contains minor
quartz and iron oxides, and traces of calcite and sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite,
pyrrhotite). The chlorite porphyroblasts and lenses of quartz and calcite give the
appearance of a coarser grained textured slate. The sections show no weathering or
discolouration.
Abundance
Major+
Description
Chlorite
Quartz
< 2.5 m
40 m
10 m
Platy crystals of sericite mica with a strong preferred orientation defining cleavage,
interbedded with chlorite.
Minor
Description
< 2.5 m
200 m
20 m
Platy crystals with a strong orientation defining cleavage, interbedded with sericite
micas. Also occurs as larger porphyroblasts orientated at high angles to the foliation.
Minor
10 m
150 m
50 m
Description
Haematite/Limonite
Description
Calcite
Minor
Pyrite Pyrrhotite
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
50 m
20 m
Description
< 2.5 m
5 m
80 m
20 m
< 5 m
300 m
70 m
Petrographic Report
A Client
In both samples found as disseminated subhedral grains and clusters of grains (sub
parallel with cleavage) they have an average grain size of <10 m (grains range from
<5 m 100 m).
Description
Chalcopyrite
Description
Also found as coarse euhedral pyrites in the reject slate where they appear to follow
relict bedding and probably represent lenses of pyrite. These bands are > 6 mm thick
i.e. at least the thickness of the slate and the pyrite is coarse and equigranular, circa
300 m.
Trace
< 5 m
100 m
10 m
In both samples found as rare disseminated subhedral grains and clusters of grains
(sub parallel with cleavage).
Summary
1. Both samples are from a uniform medium-greenish grey, high quality, hard slate.
The slate is composed of compact layers of chlorite and sericite. These layers
create a strong foliation and define the cleavage.
2. Relict bedding is defined by coarser bands of quartz calcite (and in the reject slate
coarse pyrite) at intervals of approximately 1 mm. Bedding intersects the cleavage at
approximately 30o.
3. Pyrite is the most common sulphide, there are also traces of chalcopyrite and
pyrrhotite. There is no evidence of the more unstable iron sulphide marcasite. The
overall sulphide content of both samples is extremely low; even in the reject slate the
sulphide content is <0.15%.
4. There are two populations of sulphide in the slate:
i. Fine disseminated pyrite chalcopyrite occurring as subhedral single grains and
clusters, individual grains have an average grain size of < 10 m. This occurrence of
sulphide is not likely to cause any deterioration of the slate.
ii. The second coarser population of pyrite found in the reject slate follows relict
bedding and occurs as lenses of euhedral crystals (individual crystals of
approximately 300 m). Lenses are at least 6 mm thick, i.e. the thickness of the
slate and may cause the slate to fail if these sulphides were to oxidise.
Images
Colour images (scanned images and annotated photomicrographs of each sample) begin
over-page.
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
Samples received
A
Samples received
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
Photomicrographs
B
Standard
chl
250 m
C
Standard
qtz
1 mm
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
D
Standard
py
100 m
E
Reject
chl
Image E
Nikon Labophot petrological
microscope
Plane polarised transmitted light
x100
250 m
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx
Petrographic Report
A Client
F
Reject
py
1 mm
Reject
py
qtz
Image G
Nikon Labophot petrological
microscope
Cross polarised transmitted light
x40
500 m
Moorland Slates
OPxxxx(a) xx/xx/xxxx